Conan RPGs
Rôle playing in the Hyborian Age

Conan’s seminal position in S&S has perhaps been under-represented in FRPGs.

In Advanced Dungeons & Dragons … and not

Conan was clearly the major inspiration for the barbarian fighter sub-class in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons.

In 1985, prompted by the Schwartzenegger movies, TSR published two Conan the Barbarian supplements for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, both featuring the distinctive Conan logo from the movies and pics of Arnie. ―

• CB1: Conan Unchained!
• CB2: Conan Against Darkness!

In the following year, TSR published Conan Role-Playing Game. It uses a very simple skill-based system using only a d100 (not, as I erroneously stated in earlier versions of this page, the AD&D game mechanics!).

Three supplements were published during 1985 ―

• CN1: Conan the Buccaneer (ISBN 0880382015)
• CN2: Conan the Mercenary (ISBN 0880382333)
• CN3: Conan Triumphant (ISBN 0880382341)

In GURPS

Steve Jackson Games published GURPS Conan (ISBN ISBN 1556341482) in 1989.

Four supplements followed ―

• Conan and the Queen of the Black Coast (ISBN 1556341466)
• Conan: Beyond Thunder River (ISBN 1556341067)
• Conan: Moon of Blood (ISBN 1556341628)
• Conan: The Wyrmslayer (ISBN 1556341520)

d20 System

The barbarian fighter sub-class survives in Dungeons & Dragons (Third Edition).

A number of unofficial d20 rules for Conan can be found on the Web. See the sidebar for two of the best. (Vincent Darlage is also a contributing author of the Mongoose game.)

Mongoose’s Conan

In 2004, Mongoose Publishing published the official d20-System rules in Conan: The Roleplaying Game .

Mongoose has done a great job of capturing the flavour and idiosyncracies of Howard’s world into the d20 System, just as they did with the Sláine RPG. (It does contain many annoying ytpesetting errors, though!)

An “Atlantean Edition” quickly appeared with combined errata and some rules amendments.

A huge number of supplements has followed… some of which are now out of print (§).

Second Edition

In 2007, Mongoose published the second edition  of the Conan roleplaying game. There are several “subtle” changes to the mechanics to reflect the experiences of players over the past four years and the informed commentary of Conan experts. It has also been expanded to include new character options, more combat manoeuvres, new spells and wider section of human enemies in the bestiary.

Several supplements have been published or are forthcoming (»).